1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an improved halter having a fastening device for releasably or non-releasably fastening ends of two parts of a neck strap to each other. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved halter that can be fastened around the head and a portion of the neck of an animal in such manner that it will remain fastened until part of the halter breaks. Alternatively, the halter can be fastened to release prior to breaking by the application of a longitudinal force exceeding a predetermined value.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Halters for use with animals, such as horses, generally comprise a plurality of straps adapted to removably encircle the head and a portion of the neck of the animal to provide a convenient means for leading and tying the animal. The halter when once applied is often not removed for long periods, and it is customary to permit the animal with its halter thereon to graze free in large fields and areas that are often remotely located. As a consequence thereof, it sometimes happens that the halter becomes entangled or ensnared in fences, shubbery, tree branches and the like, where upon the animal remains confined thereat until found and released upon its absence being noted. Also, when playing or scratching itself, the animal sometimes entangles a leg in the halter. If the animal's difficulty is not discovered for long periods, it can result in loss of the animal.
To overcome this problem with conventional halters, it has been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,605,384 to provide a breakaway halter to enable the animal to free itself therefrom should the halter become entangled in a fence or tree branch, or should a leg of the animal become caught in the halter. The halter discloses in the referenced patent includes both a nose strap and a neck strap respectively encircling the nose and neck of the animal. The neck strap has free end portions adapted to overlay each other when circling the animal's neck. These free end portions are equipped with stress releasable means for detachably interconnecting the free end portions, and such releasable means is generally effective to resist separation of the free end portions upon application of longitudinal tensile forces of ordinary value, but when the magnitude of any such force exceeds a predetermined value, separation occurs to free the animal from the halter.
The breakaway halter just described functions quite satisfactorily as a releasable halter; however, a problem is encountered when it is desired to non-releasably fasten the halter, for instance, when it is desired to train or ride the animal. In such instances, the breakaway halter must be removed and replaced with a non-releasable halter. The need to change halters can be a significant inconvenience and can result in the non-releasable halter being left on the animal when the animal is permitted to graze free or the breakaway halter used when a non-releasable halter should be used.